Interchangeable suspenders and belt.



N0. 693,!0l. Patented Feb. I], I902.-

- a H. J. BLUUMER.

INTERCHANGEABLE SUSPENDEBS AND BELT.

(Application. filed Feb. 16, 1901.) v (No lodaL) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

'.%wdi 1.932.914.

No. 693,l0l. Patented Feb. n, I902. H. mmoomzg. INTERCHANGEABLESUSPENDEBS AND BELT.

(Application filed Feb. 15, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Shut 2.

(No Modei.)

UNITED STATES PATENT CFEI E.

HOWARD J. BLOOMER, OF NORVALK, CONNECTICUT.

INTERCHANGEABLE SUSPENDERS AND BELT.

SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 693,101, dated February11, 1902.

Application filed February 15,1901. Serial No. 47,483. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD J. BLOOMER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Norwalk, in the county of Fairfield and State ofConnecticut, have invented new and useful Interchangeable Suspenders andBelt, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined suspender and belt; and the objectof the same is to supply a device which will be capable of a dual useand quickly convertible from one form of device to the other withoutmaterially changing the arrangement of the necessary parts andmaintaining them in close movable relationship and having a readily-understood operation.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of theseveral parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described andclaimed, and particularly presenting an improvement on the devicedisclosed by Patent No. 641,068, granted to me January 9, 1900.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved device arranged as a pairof suspenders. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the combined suspender endhangers and clasps shown connected as clasps for a belt arrangement ofthe suspender-webs, as shown in dotted lines. Fig. 3is a detailperspective View of one of the combined hangers and clasps. Fig. 4 is ahorizontal section through the suspending-hook portion of one of thecombined hangers and clasps. Fig. 5 is a similar section through theother combined hanger and clasp. Fig. 6 is a detail elevation of one ofthe connectors on an enlarged scale. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of thecombined device, showing a modified form ofsuspenderend. Fig. 8 is adetail perspective view of the modified form of Suspender-end.

Similar characters of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts in the several views. 7

The numerals 1 and 2 designate opposite independent strap members of anysuitable dimension and material and have free movable connection to anintermediate coupling 3, provided with a lower attaching-hook oranalogous device 4. The straps 1 and 2 are each provided with alinedholes or punctures 5 and 6 near the front extremities, and to the frontterminals of saidstraps adj ustingbuckles 7 are secured to adapt saidstraps to be looped or doubled, as shown by Fig. 1, and changed inlength to arrange them for the dual purpose they are intended to serve.On the doubled strap extremities slide-loops 8 are adjustably fitted toconfine the elongated loops 9 and 10 of combined hangers and clasps 11and 12, which are carried at the front portions of the straps. From thecenter of the loop 9 an intermediate bar 13 extends and terminates in anoutstanding open invert-ed-V- shaped bill or hook 14, and, as clearlyshown by Fig. 4, the said hook or bill gradually broadens toward thebend 15 thereof. The outer edges of the bend 15 are formed with recesses16 to decrease the width of the said bend, and outward from saidrecesses the bond has well-defined projections 17. From the loop 10 apair of intermediate bars 13 depend and have an open space between themand are inwardly contracted toward a bond 18 at the base of a solid billor hook 19, the open space between the bars 13* being continued throughthe said bend. The outer edges of the bars13 where they pass through thebend formation are provided with recesses 20, and outward from the sameare decided projections 21. The recesses 20 in this instance also reducethe longitudinal extent of the bend 18, and it will be understood thatthe said longitudinally-reduced portions of the bends of both of thehangers and clasps l1 and 12 provide seats fora purpose which willpresently appear and that the projections outwardfrom the said reducedportions serve as guards to prevent accidental disengagement of thedevices applied to said combined hangers and clasps when the device asan entirety is arranged as a pair of suspenders- The same feature ofconstruction will be embodied in the hook or similar device 4, carriedby the coupling 3.

The combined hangers and clasps 11 and 12 and the hook or similar device4'are removably engaged by connectors 22, which have suspender-ends 23carried thereby, one of said connectors being shown indetail on anenlarged scale by Fig. 6. The connectors each have upper and lowerlaterally-extended eyes 24 and 25, connected by an intermediate shank26, extending centrally from the lower portion of the upper eye 24 andconnecting with the upper central portion of the lower eye 25. Thesuspender-ends'are connected to the lower eyes 25 of the connectors, andfrom the upper wall of the lower eye 25 through the shank 26 and the topbar of the upper eye 24 the connector is split or con,- structed so thatthe upper eye will be free to have a lateral spreading action. Eachconnector is preferably formed of flat metal of such character that thedivided upper eye 24 and shank 26 will have a springing or resilientaction and always-returnto normal position when free to do so. The.longest axis of the opening in the upper eye 24 of each connector isslightly greater than the longitudinal distance between the deepestportions of the recesses 16 and 20 of the bends 15 and 18 of thecombined hangers and clasps and considerably less than the longitudinaldistance between the greatest outward-extending portions of theprojections 17 and 21, and the same proportions exist in the hook oranalogous device 4. -Consequently when the upper eye 2& is applied toeither of the combined hangers and clasps or the connector at theopposite laterally-projecting portions of the eye and the shank 26 aresprung apart when passing over the projections 17 or 21 and immediatelyassume a normal position when reaching the portions of the bends betweeneither of the recesses 16 and 20, where it will be free to swing toaccommodate the bodily movements of the wearer of the suspenders-withoutliability of becoming detached accidentally. The spring tension of theupper eye of each connector is strong enough to resist considerablepressure exerted thereon in a direction to separate the same and fullystrong enough to resist any ordinary exertion by the wearer, and thusinsure retention of the connector in each in-- stance with the partengaged thereby. I

The Suspender-ends shown by Fig. 1 are of the well-known form ofconstruction; but in Figs. 7 and 8 a modified form of such devices isshown, and in many instances said modified form will be preferable. Thecombined hangers and clasps 11 and 12 and the connectors 22 are the samein the modified construction shown by Figs. 7 and 8 as in thearrangement heretofore disclosed, and to the lower loop or eye 25 ofeach connector a single elastic loop 27 is secured,- the lower portionof said loop 27 being loosely passed through slots 28 in the center ofattachment members 29, consisting of doubled strips of leather or othermaterial, which are sewed or otherwise fastened together and havetransversely-extending buttonholes 30 at opposite ends, two of thelatter being shown at each end of the members. The said members arepreferably flexible, and this form of the suspender-end is adapted foruse with trousers having the buttons or other analogous devices on theinside of the waistband, and in applying said members they are fastenedto the buttons by means of the buttonholes 30, the two buttonholespermitting an adjustment in this particular instance or a compensationfor buttons at different distances apart.

In either form of Suspender-end set forth the connectors can be manuallydisconnected or attached at any time desired, and when it is desired toarrange the combined device as a belt all of said connectors and thesuspenderends carried thereby are detached. To fasten the belt aroundthe body of the wearer, the solid hook or bill 19.is inserted throughthe open hook or bill 14: by first passing the latter through theopening between the bars 13 of the former, and the outdrawing and properguidance of the two devices will produce the interlock, as shown by Fig.2. When the device is used as a belt, the straps l and 2 can be adjustedto lengthen or shorten the same, and when again arranged for use assuspenders afurther adj ustment can be made. The entire device can becheaply manufactured and sold at a comparatively small cost, and theparticular advantage of the present improvement is the specifiedconstruction of the several connectors and the complementary seat andprojection provision in the bends of the hooks or bills of the combinedhangers and clasps and the hook or other de= vice 4.

The connectors heretofore set forth are preferably constructed of flatsheet metal of a resilient nature and, comprising intermediatelongitudinally-split shanks with separable eyes at one end and closedeyes at the other end, are conducive to the production ofpositively-operating devices for engagement with the hooks or bills ofthe hangers, both the separable and closed eyes of each connector beingof equal longitudinal extent. The attaching member shown by Figs. 7 and8 will also preferably have its ends and top edge secured by stitches orthe like,- and the slot 28 thereof is centrally positioned and has alongitudinal direction to more readily re ceive the loop 27.

It is obviously apparent that changes in the form, size, proportions,and minor details can be made without departing from the prin ciple ofthe invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is-- I. In adevice of the class set forth, the combination with a hanger having areduced seat, of a connector constructed of resilient metal carrying aSuspender-end having a centrally transversely separable resilient flatmetal eye to spring over a portion of said hanger and loosely engage thesaid seat, said eye having a shank extending centrally there from to aclosed eye of a longitudinal extent equal to the said separable eye.

2. In a device of the class set forth,- the combination ofSuspender-straps convertible into a belt, hangers having hooks or billsto separably interlock and provided with re duced seats at the basesthereof and portions adjacent said seats of greater longitudinaldistance than the latter, connectors constructed of resilient sheetmetal carrying suspender ends and having centrally transverselyseparable resilient flat metal eyes to spring over the bills or hooks ofsaid hangers and loosely engage the said seats, said eyes having shanksextending centrally therefrom to closed eyes at the oppositeextremities, said closed eyes having a longitudinal extent equal to thesaid separable eyes.

3. A Suspender-end comprising a connecting device, a loop dependingtherefrom, and an attaching member consisting of a piece of HOWARD J.BLOOMER.

WVitnesses:

L. R. MONTGOMERY, J. B. ELLs, Jr.

